Page:Sacred Books of the East - Volume 1.djvu/233

1. "Memory[1] (smara) is better than ether. Therefore where many are assembled together, if they have no memory, they would hear no one, they would not perceive, they would not understand. Through memory we know our sons, through memory our cattle. Meditate on memory.

2. He who meditates on memory as Brahman, is, as it were, lord and master as far as memory reaches — he who meditates on memory as Brahman."
"Sir, is there something better than memory?"
"Yes, there is something better than memory."
"Sir, tell it me."

FOURTEENTH Khanda

1. "Hope (âsâ) is better than memory. Fired by hope does memory read the sacred hymns, perform sacrifices, desire sons and cattle, desire this world and the other. Meditate on hope.

2. He who meditates on hope as Brahman, all his desires are fulfilled by hope, his prayers are not in vain; he is, as it were, lord and master as far as hope reaches — he who meditates on hope as Brahman."
"Sir, is there something better than hope?"
"Yes, there is something better than hope."

"Sir, tell it me."

↑The apparent distance between ether and memory is bridged over by the commentator pointing out that without memory everything would be as if it were not, so far as we are concerned.